20-24 septembrie 2009 - Biblioteca Metropolitana Bucuresti

Ceremony of bathing the Buddha statue in a Manchu shamanic shrine 651The shamanic ceremonies acquired a state imperial status after thepublication in 1777 of the “Approved by the imperial order Code ofManchu shamanic sacrifices”, which was compiled by the order of theQianlong emperor. The necessity of a detailed description of the shamanicceremonies in the Tangse shrine and the Kun-ning-gong palace is explainedin the preface by Qianlong emperor (1736-1769), since the oral traditiongradually have changed the rites. By the mid-18 th century, the Manchusactively mastered the Chinese Confucian ideology and state building slowlylosing their national roots. Thus shamanism, as the national religion, wasseen by the emperor Qianlong as one of the means to preserve the Manchunational identity. 3 In the Code of shamanic ceremonies, we find the exacttime for conducting the ritual, number and status of the participants andtheir actions, objects and quantity of sacrifices. This description is rathersimilar to those of other state ceremonies conducted by the emperor. Thereare ceremonies performed to the Heaven and ancestors in the Kun-ninggongpalace and Tangse shrine to the God of horses, for the happinessof babies. Among these shamanic rituals is a very unusual and strangeceremony of bathing the statue of Buddha. It is conducted on the eighthday of the fourth moon that is the Birthday of Buddha.In short, it goes as follows:The procession of about 30 people moves from the Kun-ning-gongin the center of the Gu-gong palace complex to the shamanic complexTangse outside the territory of the Imperial palace. The statue of Buddha,the scrolls with the images of Fusa and Guan-mafa-enduri are carried onspecial handbarrow, they are followed by officials who in special casescarry sacrificial bread, which is made of linden tree leaves, clay jugs withsweet wine, red honey and paper.When the procession arrives to the Tangse the statue of Buddha isinstalled on the throne in the main Tangse shrine near the sacred westernwall and the scrolls with the images of Fusa and Guan-mafa-enduri are hungon the spirits screen there. Nine golden plates with sacrificial bread andthree cups of sweet wine are put in front the images. Wine, from the imperialpalace and other houses of the Aisin Gioro clan is poured into two big yellowglazed jugs. Red honey from the imperial palace and other houses is mixedwith clean water in a yellow glazed big bowl. The shaman calls the spirits,takes the statue of Buddha and washes it in honey water in the yellow bowl.Then he puts the statue back on the throne on a new clean paper.After that two Manchu shamans make sacrifice of wine pouring it intoa bowl from one jug, presenting it to the spirits and then pouring that wine3Pan, Tatiana A. 2006: 68-78.